Entries tagged oral hygiene

Basic Oral Care helps prevent Gum Disease

By having good oral hygiene you can actually prevent from having a gum disease. Proper brushing, dental flossing regularly and a routine visit to oral professional help prevent any oral health problems. Eating balanced diet will also help in making gums healthy and strong teeth. Using anti-bacterial mouthwash can prevent bad breath. Toothpaste contains fluoride help prevent tooth cavities.

These are basic oral care steps to prevent gum disease to occur. Practice good dental hygiene, by properly brushing your teeth. Select a good kind of toothbrush; you can prefer an electric toothbrush. This type of toothbrush has a back and forth action that has better power in removing food particles compared to a regular toothbrush that we usually buy. In brushing always include the tongue, since bacteria sets in and causes mouth odor or bad breath.

Always take time to have a regular visit to a dentist to have an oral examination. Once or twice a year visit is recommended. Have your teeth checked and undergo oral prophylaxis [teeth cleaning]. Eating healthy and balanced diet is also important and must put into consideration.  Avoid foods contain too much sugar since it will cause tooth decay.

Using anti-bacterial mouthwash helps prevent bad breath. You can also chew sugar-free gum that may contain xylitol. Xylitol is a natural sweetener product that contains in berries and vegetables. It has 40 percent lesser calories compared to an ordinary table sugar. It is considered as a vital supplement since it helps reduce the risk of having tooth decay.

It is also a natural supplement for regular oral care thus it has proven to prevent the occurrence of mouth bacteria.  On the other hand, fluoride-content toothpaste is also good to use. Fluoride is like a toxin that will help kill the bacteria in the mouth.  Since fluoride is a by-product of aluminum and is apparently highly toxic compared to lead so swallowing or eating the toothpaste is discouraged especially in children. Therefore dentists recommend using only a pea-size on your toothbrush as it may also harm the good bacteria inside the mouth if used in large quantity.

Best way to prevent gum disease is to avoid tobacco. Smoking will increase chances of having periodontal disease and other serious ailments related to tobacco use such as oral cancer and gingivitis. Several chemicals that contain in tobacco can delay the healing process if you are undergoing medical treatment.

Published: August 20, 2011

Bleeding Gums: Serious Health Problem

Gums are the structures that support and hold our teeth. They are important since they are the ones holding the teeth in place and prevent certain infections to spread inside our mouth. However, most adults develop problems with their gums because as they get old, the gums weaken, gum recesses develop, and this will pave the way for the teeth to fall out from the gums. Aside from this, gum infection will develop leading to swelling and redness, as well as bleeding gums.

Periodontal disease or the infection of the tissues of the gums is most likely the cause of bleeding gums. This may be due to violent brushing with the use of toothbrush with hard bristles or aggressive flossing of the teeth. Bleeding gums will also result when this several causes are experienced such as malignancy, trauma, inflammation, infection, illnesses, conditions, disorders, and diseases related to the mouth. Trauma may happen to the teeth where it results to lacerations, broken teeth, or avulsed teeth.

Other disease that may lead to bleeding gums such as hemophilia, leukemia, and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura is caused by deficiencies in certain vitamins. This condition can also be a symptom of a very serious illness. It is vital therefore that this condition should be evaluated by a physician because when this is neglected, it could lead to serious medical problems. The bleeding and swelling of the gums is caused when plaque from the teeth is not properly taken away which direct the gums to develop gingivitis or gum inflammation. Plaque that is not removed will later harden into tartar.

Tartar must be removed from the teeth often by regular visits to your dentist and regular hygiene habits of brushing and flossing the teeth. When this condition is left untreated, it may lead to increased bleeding or worse still, may lead to periodontitis. Therefore, it is strongly advised that one should have good oral hygiene like proper brushing of teeth, regular flossing, and the use of a good mouthwash. The removal of the plaque from the teeth is a must to prevent the onset of the bleeding gums and stop certain gum diseases from spreading.

However, brushing alone is not enough to stop the bleeding of the gums. Total oral care and hygienic practices must be regularly completed to prevent the disease from developing. This is also the best way to keep the gums healthy and free from oral diseases.

Published: July 19, 2011